Add your pearls of wisdom, based on experience.

8valve

Experienced cyclist or bike mechanic?


Drop some one-liner advice here for people that may be starting out, now that we've got plenty of time on our hands!!


Try to stay on topic and base it on your own experience.


I'll start the ball (wheels?) rolling...


Invest in some padded shorts or under-shorts for cycling; they make a world of difference for comfort.


Don't gauge your cycling ability against more experienced cyclists; it's very easy to get disillusioned. Strength and stamina will come. Be patient with yourself. If you only go out and do a couple of miles on a bike once a week, you are a cyclist! Be proud of the fact.



Have someone who knows what they're doing service your bike regularly - e.g. trying to get a few years out of a chain often means an expensive full drivetrain replacement.


Keep your tyres pumped..hard. The bike is easier to cycle and less likely to puncture.


Avoid dropping, laying or leaving your bike fall on the drive (right) side; I've fixed numerous bikes where the gears have become entangled in the rear wheel because of this, causing catastrophic damage...the most expensive one was over €2000..!

Johnny Jukebox

Cheap, light, strong - pick any 2.

SwissToni

Only one thing you need to know, Glasses OVER your helmet straps😆

dahat

Disagree with tyre advice, pump for time of year & surface..

No drop policy in clubs is a myth!!!

who_ru

The ideal number of bikes to own is N+1, N being the number of bikes you currently own.

rurs

It doesn't get easier, you just get faster.

Cee-Jay-Cee

New expensive wheels, upgrading groupset or bike won’t make you faster. Training and cycling regularly will.

I have 3 road bikes, a €4500 S-Works Roubaix, an Felt VR30 gravel bike which cost me €1500 and an entry level Cube Attain with 8 speed Claris groupset which I bought for €240 (although it was brand new never used when I bought it). My training spin is a 36km loop...I can do the loop at more or less the same speed/effort on all 3 bikes with less than 1min between my fastest times on each of them.

Just proves a bike is only as fast as you can pedal it.

ednwireland

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

New expensive wheels, upgrading groupset or bike won’t make you faster. Training and cycling regularly will.

that sir is absolute balderdash

we all know its all about the bike !!!!!;);):D:D:D:D:D:D:D

hesker

The more annoying the click the longer it takes to find what’s causing it.

cletus

You can wear ankle socks when cycling.

Also, start working on your bike. They're not that complicated, and if you buy a tool when you need to do a job, you'll quickly build up a concurrent set of skills and tools

CramCycle

cletus wrote: »

You can wear ankle socks when cycling.

No you can't.

My advice, depending on your personality in regards bike cleaning, if your OCD, do it regularly and get the most for your buck and OCD relief. If you are a person that needs a reward, do it rarely, the joy of a drivertrain that is cleaned after a long break, how much nicer it sounds, how slightly faster you are is wonderful (I am the latter). I personally believe a clean bike is a sign of an unhealthy mind.

endacl

Black socks = black heart.

07Lapierre

creaking noises are never from the bottom bracket!

f1000

Learn how to fix things. Look at maintenance videos. Buy the tools. DIY and save money.

TheBlaaMan

'Dont buy upgrades, ride up grades'. Sage words from some Belgian dude who won a few races back when.....

Keep you bike clean, especially all the moving parts: 5 minutes with a wash-down after a spin will make it more enjoyable next time you go out, and it will uncover issues that you can fix in time to ensure you can head out next time

Learn how to adjust gears, fit a spare tube, fix a puncture, adjust brakes (maybe leave hydraulics for a bit.......)

Buy the best quality tools you can - they will last you a lifetime and not let you down just when you need them

Seth Brundle

Keep away from the left of the road - stay about 1m from the kerb if possible.
When coming to a stop, change down to an appropriate gear before you stop.
Buy a decent pair of shorts

Takca

Don't leave it to the last second to clip out

A good bike takes time to reveal itself.

fat bloke

"PEDAL DOWN THE HILL!!!!"

saccades

Tyre pressure as low as you can before they feel squirmy.


Better to be looking at it than for it.

Never trust a dog with orange eyebrows.

monkeyslayer

time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana

magicbastarder

8valve wrote: »

Keep your tyres pumped..hard. The bike is easier to cycle and less likely to puncture.

saccades wrote: »

Tyre pressure as low as you can before they feel squirmy.

at least we have consistency!

Harrybelafonte

cletus wrote: »

You can wear ankle socks when cycling.

Only on track, especially indoors, where even no socks may be an option depending on temperature

The inner ring is only for warming up

dastardly00

SwissToni wrote: »

Only one thing you need to know, Glasses OVER your helmet straps😆

Ah here Swiss, I was expecting your advice to be more along the lines of this from you...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxWnQBbIDgQ

cjt156

20g of carbon fibre won't offset 5kg of gut.





Speaking from experience...:-(

Thargor

rurs wrote: »

It doesn't get easier, you just get faster.

Why do people say this? Of course it gets easier, hills that were impossible once and required you to get off and walk become the easy bit on the way to the mountains etc, 100km rides become normal weekend activities when previously they were physically impossible. It's just such a strange phrase to be in common use for a sport like cycling.

cletus

One more post about working on your bike. Everything bike related seems to be expensive. Tools too. For generic tools like spanner, Allen keys, torx etc, don't pay the premium for a badge like park tools, when there are plenty of other good quality options out there, at a lesser price

magicbastarder

Thargor wrote: »

It's just such a strange phrase to be in common use for a sport like cycling.

it's a famous greg lemond quote.

eeeee

Thargor wrote: »

Why do people say this? Of course it gets easier, hills that were impossible once and required you to get off and walk become the easy bit on the way to the mountains etc, 100km rides become normal weekend activities when previously they were physically impossible. It's just such a strange phrase to be in common use for a sport like cycling.

It doesn't really though, cos you go faster! If you continue to go at the same speed you did before you got fit then yes, it's easier, but as you get fitter you go faster and the faster you go the harder it is!
It is much, much easier to suffer when you're lighter and fitter than if you're not though.

lamaq

Confucius say, start hill like old man finish like new one.

G1032

Thargor wrote: »

Why do people say this? Of course it gets easier, hills that were impossible once and required you to get off and walk become the easy bit on the way to the mountains etc, 100km rides become normal weekend activities when previously they were physically impossible. It's just such a strange phrase to be in common use for a sport like cycling.

No. A VO2 max effort or a threshold effort will always have the same perceived exertion no matter whether your FTP is 200w or 400w. The more structured training you do the higher your FTP will get and the faster you'll go. But it never gets easier. Ever. You just get faster 😄

Seaswimmer

I was told this by an old cyclist back in the 70s long before chain cleaning products became popular. He used a diesel soaked rag. Get a container of diesel. It won't evaporate so an open container is fine.Fill your chain cleaning tool as required and run chain through it. Pour the dirty diesel back into the container. Dirt will settle to the bottom so you can use the clean diesel again next time.
Wipe off excess with a rag. No need to lubricate the chain. The chain will have a film of oil from the diesel.
Handy if you are commuting through spells of wet weather. You can do it in a few seconds every day and give the bike itself a major clean at the weekend.
I have done touring trips of 1100kms using this method and chain was perfect at the end. (assuming no rain)

new2tri19

I'm trying to get quicker on a local climb its like 4 minutes uphill / 1 min downhill / 4 minutes uphill , any pearls of wisdom to get a better time ? I tried other day and did 340watts for 4 mins / just rolled down the downhill / 350watts for next 4 mins . That was my first time trying it with a power meter but was 1 min off my best time . Any tips ?

fat bloke

new2tri19 wrote: »

I'm trying to get quicker on a local climb its like 4 minutes uphill / 1 min downhill / 4 minutes uphill , any pearls of wisdom to get a better time ? I tried other day and did 340watts for 4 mins / just rolled down the downhill / 350watts for next 4 mins . That was my first time trying it with a power meter but was 1 min off my best time . Any tips ?

You obviously missed my advice

fat bloke wrote: »

"PEDAL DOWN THE HILL!!!!"

But that's a lot of power you're putting out and 1 minute is a huge amount of time in a 9 minute climb. Maybe find a wattage you can sustain over the entire duration up and down. Unless it's a roller-coaster there must be time and speed to be gained by applying power (pedalling) down the hill.

Type 17

If a bike has the same groupset as others which are a few hundred € more, you can be sure that the savings come from stuff like inferior wheels/a heavier frame/poor cable-runs/less R&D/ poor-quality finishing kit and paint, etc. - if a bike seems under-priced compared to its peers, there's almost certainly good (actually bad) reasons.

******

Ideal tyre pressures should be based on rider & bike weight + tyre width, aiming for a sweet spot between rolling resistance, comfort, tyre-footprint/grip and preventing pinching/damage.
Eg: a petite/light rider (~70kg) on 32mm tyres might enjoy riding 65/70psi (front & rear)
A tall/heavy rider (~110kg) on 25mm's would be advised to use 110/120psi
Pumping to the max pressure of a tyre isn't necessarily faster, it's probably just more uncomfortable (which can actually slow you down) and has a smaller footprint (less grip).

******
Tyre tread does not equal grip - you'd be amazed at how many people ask for heavier/knobbier tyres for "more grip" on the road - we have explain that smooth tyres with some 'texture' or side-siping (and at the right pressure, see above) are the best for on-road use.

******

If you can't be bothered maintaining a full-on chain cleaning/lubrication regime, at least take a look at the rollers in the middle of each link - if they're black, you just oiled the chain (or it's really dirty), if they're grey, things are ok for now, but if they're getting toward silver, it's time for oil.
How often should you check? Every time you ride the bike, but don't oil it too often (worse than no oil) - in summer, you may only need oil every month, but in a wet winter week, it could well be every day...

******

If your saddle's not comfortable, a more padded one probably won't help - the right fit is totally personal of course, but is a function of the bike's posture (eg: Comfort/City/Performance/Race/Time-Trial) and of the width of your pelvis - most new road bikes come with a really narrow saddle (128-138mm), which looks sleek on the shop-floor, but which are really only suited to small, slightly-built males.
(After trying a few different models, I now ride a performance/race ladies' saddle - 154mm wide but virtually unpadded - fine for >100km rides with no issues).

******

Money spent on beating wind resistance is better than on reducing weight - a lighter bike (and rider!) is important of course, but once you're rolling ~86% of effort is spent overcoming wind resistance & the remaining ~14% is rolling resistance from tyres and mechanical friction. Except when climbing and accelerating, weight isn't that important, as inertia has already been overcome.

******

If you're going to bother with mudguards, get ones that protect the bike as well as you. They mightn't look as cool, but less damage from water ingress is even cooler.

******

Daytime running lights* are safer than hi-vis - you are perceived as a vehicle, rather than an "other", and taken more seriously/given more space. (If you disagree, that's fine, but that's my experience).
*Proper ones, rated for daytime use, not just regular ones used in daytime.

duffyshuffle

new2tri19 wrote: »

I'm trying to get quicker on a local climb its like 4 minutes uphill / 1 min downhill / 4 minutes uphill , any pearls of wisdom to get a better time ? I tried other day and did 340watts for 4 mins / just rolled down the downhill / 350watts for next 4 mins . That was my first time trying it with a power meter but was 1 min off my best time . Any tips ?

Howth? The wind has a huge impact on PBs

new2tri19

duffyshuffle wrote: »

Howth? The wind has a huge impact on PBs

Yeah howth hill tt on Strava , I guessed 350watts for the climb part and then recover in the middle I had too much energy left at end , wonder should you peddle hard on downhill ?
Just getting used to power meter and pacing off power ftp 235 or so , 63kg no way of accurately predicting max 4 min power from that ?

Tony04

new2tri19 wrote: »

Yeah howth hill tt on Strava , I guessed 350watts for the climb part and then recover in the middle I had too much energy left at end , wonder should you peddle hard on downhill ?
Just getting used to power meter and pacing off power ftp 235 or so , 63kg no way of accurately predicting max 4 min power from that ?

Your not going to PB it unless the winds coming in from the west. Get momentum going from the cross out of the saddle by the graveyard hold your speed until the top of the first hill,out of the saddle there and accelerate for the downhill, get on the big ring. When it starts rising again out of the saddle until the flat where you hold your speed. Out of the saddle again after the flat and accelerate into that quick down hill bit round the turn, then out of the saddle till the carpark hold and then all out up the last bit before the shop.
Forget about your power meter, judge by feel or hr monitor, threshold effort slightly above on the aggressive bits, slightly below on the flatter bits.

new2tri19

Tony04 wrote: »

Your not going to PB it unless the winds coming in from the west. Get momentum going from the cross out of the saddle by the graveyard hold your speed until the top of the first hill,out of the saddle there and accelerate for the downhill, get on the big ring. When it starts rising again out of the saddle until the flat where you hold your speed. Out of the saddle again after the flat and accelerate into that quick down hill bit round the turn, then out of the saddle till the carpark hold and then all out up the last bit before the shop.
Forget about your power meter, judge by feel or hr monitor, threshold effort slightly above on the aggressive bits, slightly below on the flatter bits.

Great thanks , didn't get out of the saddle at all last time.

kenmm

Cleats regularly need tightened.. mine seem to unscrew all by themselves, even between spins!

Daroxtar

Rubber side down

fat bloke

new2tri19 wrote: »

Yeah howth hill tt on Strava , I guessed 350watts for the climb part and then recover in the middle I had too much energy left at end , wonder should you peddle hard on downhill ?
Just getting used to power meter and pacing off power ftp 235 or so , 63kg no way of accurately predicting max 4 min power from that ?

Well, now that you've switched to power, forget times. You PB is your best average wattage from now. - It's a metric of your progress/fitness that is independent of variables such as wind.

koutoubia

Campagnolo is by default better and sexier then Shimano!














And although RobFowl will come along and disagree with that factual statement he is still a legend in brightly coloured lycra.

gaffmaster

You can fit twice as many new inner tubes in your saddle bag if you roll the air out of them first.

Seth Brundle

gaffmaster wrote: »

You can fit twice as many new inner tubes in your saddle bag if you roll the air out of them first.

If they're new, surely there's no air in them and they're already rolled up?

gaffmaster

Seth Brundle wrote: »

If they're new, surely there's no air in them and they're already rolled up?

There's a tiny bit of air in them when new. Rolling them from the opposite side of the valve to the valve, then letting the air out will make them flatter. Then you close the valve and can fold them back up and wrap them in some cling film to the shape of your saddle bag.

Seth Brundle

aha - I see what you mean

fat bloke

I always found inner tubes to be like Apple products. Once you unbox, it ain't never goin back in as neatly again!

who_ru

- wear a bandanna in summer.
- always have your phone fully charged before you go out.
- engage both brakes down hill, one brake fully engaged might not be enough to stop.
- tubeless is better ( my opinion)
- don't waste money buying cheap stuff that won't last, be it clothing or tools, save up, buy better quality that will last.
- it's better to go for 5 one hours spins a week than 1 five hour spin.
- research stretching routines for cyclists on youtube and follow them. you will feel much better afterwards.
- acknowledge other cyclists if they salute on the road.
- don't argue with drivers, it's pointless.
- always stop at red lights.

sbs2010

Everytime you approach a left hand turn check if there's a driver coming up behind you and make sure he sees you.

And try a leather saddle. Sure they're heavier but as previous posts point out, that makes f all difference.

who_ru

who_ru wrote: »

- wear a bandanna in summer.
- always have your phone fully charged before you go out.
- engage both brakes down hill, one brake fully engaged might not be enough to stop.
- tubeless is better ( my opinion)
- don't waste money buying cheap stuff that won't last, be it clothing or tools, save up, buy better quality that will last.
- it's better to go for 5 one hours spins a week than 1 five hour spin.
- research stretching routines for cyclists on youtube and follow them. you will feel much better afterwards.
- acknowledge other cyclists if they salute on the road.
- don't argue with drivers, it's pointless.
- always stop at red lights.

Marco Pantani fan???

As for the stretches I've actually been using that book I got from Aldi a few weeks back now that I've a bit of time on my hands. It's got a lot of stuff in it. Be interested to hear from others that got it as to any routine they've put together from it. It's great in the sense that it warns you if you have X wrong don't do this one which you might not get in youtube videos and the like. It's terrible in the sense that it reminds we how much more flexible I was 10 years ago